


The Broken Road

by louisgrindsonharry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, Louis loses Harry, M/M, Smut, but finds him again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 23:03:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3428792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louisgrindsonharry/pseuds/louisgrindsonharry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is sixteen when he meets Harry. Harry follows him anywhere, until one day, he doesn’t.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Broken Road

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being nothing like I planned, but this kind of wrote itself, so it is what it is.

Louis meets Harry when he’s sixteen, and Harry is fourteen. It’s what makes Louis believe in love at first sight.

            He’s at work, busy moving stray toys back to where they belong, when he sees Harry walking around, looking overwhelmed in the huge store. “Can I help you, mate?” He asks, butterflies in his stomach when Harry’s bright green eyes meet his.

            “Uh, yeah, thanks. I’m looking for something for my little cousin? Her birthday is next week and I don’t know what to get her. She’s turning six,” Harry said.

            Louis smiled. “I have four little sisters so I think I can help. What does she like?”

            “Um, dolls?” Harry said.

            “Are you asking me or telling me?” Louis laughed.

            “Sorry,” Harry chuckled. “I don’t really know. Aren’t most little girls into the same things?”

            “For the most part,” Louis grinned. “Come on.”

            Harry followed him without hesitation, and really, that should have been Louis’ clue as to how the next years of his life would go.

 

            When Harry was seventeen, he followed Louis to London for school, without hesitation, just as he did three years earlier in the toy store. Only now, he and Louis had been dating for nearly three years, and were so deep in love, Harry didn’t think he’d ever surface from the permanent bliss he was in.

            They were moving into their first flat together, and Harry was the happiest he’d ever been.

            “You be sure to call me if you need anything, alright love?” Anne said, wiping a tear from her eye as she made sure their refrigerator and pantry were fully stocked.

            “Yes, mum,” Harry promised, hugging his mother as he walked her to her car.

            “And you’ll call me every day?” She asked.

            “Mum, I’ll be busy and I’ll forget. I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep. I’ll call you often though, I promise,” Harry said. “I’m not alone. Louis’ here too.”

            “Oh I know,” She said. “But I’m your mother, it’s my job to worry. I know he’ll take care of you though. He has been for the last three years.”

            Harry sighed. “Mum, I love you loads.”

            “Oh all right, you don’t need to shove me in the car, I’m leaving. I love you too, dear,” She sighed, getting in her car and waving at Harry before she drove away.

            Harry grinned and all but ran up the stairs, to his flat. “Honey, I’m home,” He called opening the door.

            “How long have you been waiting to say that?” Louis laughed, walking into the foyer.

            “Years,” Harry grinned, wrapping his arms around Louis’ waist. “My whole life. An eternity, really. Shame you’ve made me wait three years.”

            “Oh shut up,” Louis laughed. “Come here.”

            Harry grinned and let Louis pull him to the couch. “This is our home,” He laughed, sitting in Louis’ lap, one arm draped over the back of Louis’ neck.

            “That’s right, darling, it is. Our first home,” Louis said. “Definitely not our last.”

            Harry smiled and nuzzled into Louis’ neck. “So we can like, have sex everywhere now. All the time. No renting a cheap hotel room or waiting for one of our houses to be empty. Not sneaking around and being rushed and being quiet.”

            Louis laughed and kissed Harry softly. “You’re insatiable.”

            Harry shrugged, unashamed.

            “Wanna order take out?” Louis asked.

            Harry nodded.

            “Call and get whatever you want, babe,” Louis said, giving Harry his debit card to pay over the phone.

            Harry walked into the kitchen to place their order, and when he went back into the living room, Louis pressed play on his phone, and their song started playing on the Bluetooth speaker.

            “I set out on a narrow way, many years ago,” Louis hummed, and Harry laughed as he stepped into Louis’ arms.

            “This song really doesn’t fit us,” He chuckled.

            “Hush,” Louis said.

            “We were fourteen and sixteen when we met,” Harry said.

            “Harold, I’m trying to be romantic. Let me dance to my song with my boyfriend in our first flat,” Louis said.

            Harry rolled his eyes and kept quiet as Louis wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck and held him close as they danced.

            “Love you,” Harry mumbled as he song ended.

            “I love you too, darling. Love you so much,” Louis said, kissing Harry softly on the lips.

            They stayed like that, kissing in the middle of their living room, until their dinner showed up, then spent the night christening every small room in their flat.

           

            When Harry was twenty-one, he followed Louis to New York, just like he had followed him to London four years earlier.

            Louis’ job had promoted him and transferred him to the big city in America, and the engagement ring on Harry’s finger was reason enough for him to follow without hesitation. Really, he’s been following Louis without hesitation for seven years.

            They packed up their second flat together in London, said goodbye to their friends and family, and made the seven-hour flight to their new flat in the heart of the city.

            “You ready?” Louis asked, looking at Harry nervously as he held out his hand, and looked to the door of the airplane.

            “Ready,” Harry nodded confidently, taking Louis’ hand as they walked off the plane together.

            Harry was excited for this new stage of their life together; moving to a new continent with his fiancé, starting a new job and living in a brand new flat was a thrill. Louis had been working hard directing plays in London, making a name for himself, and when they offered him a position at Broadway in New York City with a significant pay raise, it was impossible to pass up.

            Harry was going to miss his job taking pictures for the magazine, but he had good references and he was confident he’d find a job in New York. Or maybe, he could focus full time on planning their wedding, and they could start a family. Either way, he was ready for it.

            Just like their previous two moves, as soon as the movers left, Louis pulled Harry into his arms and they danced to their song.

            “God blessed the broken road, that led me straight to you.”

 

            When Harry is almost twenty-three and Louis is twenty-five, their life kind of goes to shit. They still haven’t gotten married, and Harry has pushed it so much, Louis is almost turned off to the idea.

            They haven’t had much time together, Louis’ job keeping him busier than ever, and Harry’s new job sending him all over New York state to take pictures.

            Louis would like to spend time with his fiancé, but lately every minute they have together, Harry spends complaining that Louis doesn’t have an opinion on white or cream name cards for the wedding, and Louis is sick of talking about a wedding, when he’d rather hear about Harry’s latest trip.

            “H, for fucks sake, can you please stop talking about the wedding and talk to me?” Louis snapped.

            “We’ve been engaged for almost three fucking years, Louis! Why don’t you want this wedding to happen?” Harry asked.

            “Harry, I do want it to happen, do be ridiculous. I wouldn’t have asked you to marry me if I didn’t. But I’d like to actually talk to you for the first time in weeks about our lives right now,” Harry said.

            “What do you want to talk about?” Harry asked.

            “Your trip? Your last four trips? My job? We don’t talk anymore,” Louis said.

            “And that’s my fault?” Harry asked, raising his voice.

            “Well every time we see each other, you have the wedding planner on speed dial and you don’t bother to talk to me about work! You haven’t been to a show in months, Harry. I like having you there and I miss you,” Louis said.

            “I’m right fucking here, Louis. I haven’t gone anywhere,” Harry argued.

            “Then why does it feel like you’re so far away from me?” Louis asked, voice quiet.

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Harry said. “I’m going for a walk.”

            “That! That right there is what I’m talking about! Why don’t we ever fucking talk anymore? Harry, I fucking love you more than anything but our communication has become shit lately, and I don’t get it! We never used to be like this. We never used to fight,” Louis said.

            “Yeah well I guess New York has changed us,” Harry snapped.

            “Are you blaming this on my taking this job?” Louis asked.

            Harry didn’t say anything, but raised his eyebrows.

            “Harry you were the one so confident about moving here! I was scared and you were the one who assured me we’d be fine and this was the next big part of our life!” Louis yelled.

            “Yeah, and we’re still not married, and we’re falling apart. Look how well that worked out.” Harry said.

            “H, come on, I really need to talk to you about something important, but we can’t be fighting,” Louis said.

            “What?” Harry asked.

            Louis took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “They want to transfer me to LA.”

            “Are you fucking kidding me?” Harry asked? “Why? Why can’t we ever stay in one place? Why am I constantly uprooting my life?”

            Louis felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart. “For me?”

            Harry was quiet.

            “Please? Harry they want me to do fucking movies. This is it, this is what I’ve always wanted to do. Direct movies, and produce them, this is what I’ve worked so hard for,” Louis begged quietly.

            “I’ve been blindly following you since I was fourteen, Louis. I don’t know if I can keep doing it,” Harry said quietly.

            Louis stomach turned and he felt sick. “Okay, so I won’t take it.”

            Harry shook his head. “No, I think you should take it,” Harry said.

            “Only if you’re coming with me,” Louis pleaded.

            “I can’t, Louis. But you shouldn’t pass this up,” Harry said, before he quickly turned on his heels and walked out.

            The next morning, Louis woke up to see the white gold engagement band he’d given Harry on the bedside table without a note.

            He’d felt like this was coming for the last few months, but it still shattered his heart more than he had been expecting. Harry was all he’d known for the last nine years of his life. Harry was his future, and now it was all gone. He stayed in bed and cried himself to sleep on and off throughout the day, and he didn’t hear from Harry once.

            Harry moved his things out of their apartment the next day Louis goes to work, and Louis thinks that he should try harder to talk to Harry, to get him back, but he doesn’t know what there is left to fight for. It was so easy for Harry to walk out, so easy for Harry to give him back that ring, and if Harry loved him, he might fight for them.

            As it was, he felt like a broken, empty imitation of his former self, but as he packed the last of his things and headed for LA, he thought maybe a new place would be a good start.

 

            When Louis is twenty-eight, he sees Harry for the first time in three years, in Las Vegas of all places. He’s on a business trip, scouting a location for his next movie when he sees a flash of brown hair and green eyes. For a moment, he is filled with hope, excitement, nerves and love. Three years, and he’s still in love with Harry as he was when he was sixteen. He thinks maybe this is their second chance. Why else would he see in Harry in a city neither of them live in? He thinks maybe he can apologize for not marrying Harry when he’d wanted to. He thinks maybe he can apologize for not fighting for the fucking love of his life. He thinks, and he hopes maybe Harry misses him just as much, maybe Harry thinks about him.

            Before Harry can walk away, Louis rushes over to him, grabbing his elbow.

            “Louis,” Harry said, eyes wide in shock.

            “Hi,” Louis smiled.

            “What are you doing here?” Harry blurts out.

            “Looking for location to film,” He smiles. “How are you?”

            “Wow, I’m good,” Harry says folding his arms, and Louis’ stomach knots as he sees a yellow gold band on Harry’s finger.

            “You’re married?” Louis asked dumbly, staring at the ring.

            “Um, yeah,” Harry said. “My husband’s doing an event here. He does rodeo.”

            “What?” Louis asked, because in what world did Harry ever want to marry a cowboy?

            “Yeah, it’s just a hobby, but he’s pretty good,” Harry said.

            Louis just nodded, brain still trying to catch up on the fact that Harry was married, and felt like he was going to hyperventilate. Harry was married. To someone that wasn’t him. He’d spent three years of his life with a broken heart, still pining for Harry, wondering what he was doing in New York, crying every single morning that he woke up and Harry wasn’t next to him. And Harry went and married a fucking rodeo cowboy. What the fuck was happening. This wasn’t how his life was supposed to go.

            “Louis?” Harry asked, and Louis realized he’d started shaking.

            “Sorry, I need to go,” He said, quickly turning and walking away before Harry could see him cry.

            He hardly made it to his hotel room before he broke down, grabbing a bottle of whisky from the mini bar and drinking himself to sleep.

 

            Louis is thirty when he meets Jack. He’s younger, and cute, and he keeps Louis company at night. He’s a warm body to sleep next to, and he’s a good fuck, but he’s not Harry. Nobody could ever replace Harry.

            Louis is thirty when he breaks up with Jack and realizes he’ll never get married, never settle for anyone, when his heart will always belong to Harry.

 

            Louis is thirty-two when he’s at a bar in downtown LA with his co-workers on his latest film, when he sees a tall man with unmistakable tattoos, shoulder-length brown hair, green eyes, and a left hand that’s missing a wedding ring.

            His mouth goes dry as Harry’s eyes meet his, and Harry walks over to him. “Harry,” Louis choked out.

            “Fuck, hi,” Harry said, sitting on the bar stool next to Louis’.

            “What are you doing here?” Louis asked.

            Harry shrugged. “Working.”

            “What- um, how are you?” Louis asked.

            Harry smiled softly. “I’m alright. I’m divorced, living in LA, working at a photography shop.”

            “Divorced?” Louis forces out.

            Harry nodded. “Wasn’t meant to be.”

            “I’m sorry,” Louis said.

            “I’m not,” Harry smiled. “Kinda forced me to get my head out of my arse and move to LA, like I should have done seven years ago.”

            “What do you mean?” Louis asked, breathing shallow.

            “I might have come here looking for you? Or at least hoping to run into you, fuck, I don’t know,” Harry sighed.

            “Harry,” Louis breathed out. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”

            Harry nodded, without hesitation. “Please.”

            Louis paid the bill and wrapped his hand around Harry’s wrist, subconsciously leading him out of the bar and hailing them a cab. They sat quietly, Louis’ hand resting on Harry’s thigh as they were driven back to Louis’ house.

            He paid the driver and led Harry up the walkway and into his house, over to the couch. “So how are you doing?” Harry finally asked.

            Louis shrugged. “Work is great.”

            “That’s it?” Harry asked. “No husband? Boyfriend?”

            Louis shook his head. “Lost the only person I ever wanted to marry when I was twenty-five.”

            “Lou,” Harry whispered, edging closer to Louis.

            “H, I miss you so much. Every day for seven years, I’ve thought about you and I’ve missed you,” Louis said.

            “I miss you so much,” Harry whispered.

            “Fuck it,” Louis sighed before he leaned over and cupped Harry’s face, kissing him firmly. Harry’s hands flew to Louis’ waist and held him tight as Louis knelt to straddle Harry’s lap and kiss him thoroughly, licking into his mouth.

            “Lou,” Harry gasped into the kiss, gripping Louis’ waist like it was his lifeline.

            Louis gripped Harry’s hair and kissed down his jaw, then back up to peck Harry’s lips. “I miss you,” Louis said again. “Harry why wouldn’t come with me to LA?”

            Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. “I should have. I regretted it so much. I thought about it all the time. I just- I’d convinced myself that you didn’t want to marry me. I know we were busy in New York, but I kept wondering why you wouldn’t commit to the wedding and I told myself you didn’t want it to happen so many times, that I believed it. And we fought and I was so stupid for just letting you leave.”

            Louis shook his head. “I should have fought for you- for us. I shouldn’t have left without you. When I saw you, in Vegas, fuck H, I thought that was my chance; my chance to apologize and to maybe get you back. But then you were married and I kind of shut down after that. You married someone else.”

            “I was really lost, Louis. I didn’t know anything anymore, and Justin was there and he wanted to marry me and I’d lost you, and I just thought I was lucky to find someone who wanted to marry me, but it was so wrong. It was all so messed up and it wasn’t fair to him for me to be so in love with you, but to call him my husband. I couldn’t do it anymore though, so I apologized and filed for divorce six months later. It was such a joke,” Harry laughed humorlessly. “I packed up and moved here.”

            Louis sighed and hugged Harry, shaking his head. “How hove we stayed apart for the last seven years?”

            “I don’t know,” Harry mumbled. “I missed you though. Thought about you all the time. Probably should have been a red flag that your face popped into my head when I said I’d marry Justin.”

            “Harry,” Louis sighed.

            “I’m sorry I didn’t go with you,” Harry whispered.

            “I’m sorry I didn’t try harder,” Louis said quietly.

            Harry shook his head. “I shouldn’t have walked out.”

            “We were both wrong,” Louis said.

            “A stupid, seven year mistake,” Harry groaned.

            “You’re here right now,” Louis said.

            Harry nodded. “I am.”

            They sat there quietly, Harry stroking Louis’ hip with his thumb, and Louis running his hands through the hair at the base of Harry’s neck. They would talk about things quietly, about each others jobs and families, and things they’d done in the last seven years.

            It was two in the morning before they both started drifting off to sleep and Louis took Harry’s hand, leading him up the stairs and into his bed. He fell wordlessly into Harry’s embrace and they drifted off to sleep without a word, just listening to the sounds of each other’s breaths.

            Louis woke up the next morning to see Harry’s bright green eyes looking back at him, a smile on Harry’s face. “I don’t know how I went seven years without this.”

            “Don’t know how I did either,” Louis sighed, reaching out to run his hands through Harry’s hair.

            Harry smiled and nuzzled into it. “What are you doing today?” He asked.

            “Hopefully not leaving this bed,” Louis said, eyebrows raised in question.

            Harry grinned and pulled Louis even closer. “You look different.”

            “Course I do, I’m old now,” Louis huffed.

            Harry barked out a laugh. “You’re not old. You just look… You look tired. Still as attractive as ever though.”

            Louis blushed and pecked Harry’s lips. “You are too, darling. Such an attractive man.”

            Harry hummed and captured Louis’ lips in another kiss, lingering longer and holding Louis tighter. “Want you,” Harry mumbled. “Wanted you for the last seven years.”

            Louis nodded and kissed Harry again, biting Harry’s bottom lip between his and diving in for another deep kiss, licking into Harry’s mouth. Harry groaned into it and rolled, pulling Louis on top of him. Louis supported his weight on his hands as he kissed Harry like he’d been craving to do for years. Harry kissed Louis, just laid there and took whatever Louis was willing to give him.

            Louis shifted, grinding his hips against Harry’s, already half hard from waking up next to Harry. “Lou,” Harry whispered.

            Louis groaned and kissed down Harry’s jaw, down his neck and sucked a mark into his skin as they kept grinding against each other. Harry’s hands slipped up Louis’s short and roamed his back and down to his waist, slipping just his fingertips into Louis’ boxers. “Harry,” Louis groaned, grinding frantically against hip, the hard outline of his cock tracing Harry’s.

            “Lou, please,” Harry begged softly.

            Louis pushed Harry’s shirt up and tugged it off, marveling at how much Harry’s body had changed. Harry was more toned than ever, fit and soft skin drawn over hard muscles. Louis kissed his way down Harry’s body, tears stinging his eyes as hips lips traced over Harry’s sparrows, and he sucked a mark into the wing of the small one.

            Harry’s hands gripped Louis’ hair as he panted heavily, soft moans escaping his lips. Louis sucked a nipple into his mouth, biting playfully before he traced his lips and tongue down Harry’s stomach. “Missed this so much. Fuck, H, missed everything about you,” Louis whispered into his skin like it was a secret.

            Louis traced his mouth over the hard bulge of Harry’s dick through his boxers, licking at the wet tip. “Lou, fuck,” Harry groaned.

            Louis pulled his boxers down and groaned as Harry’s cock slapped against his stomach. Louis licked at his heavy balls and up the underside of his dick, taking him into his mouth.

            “Louis,” Harry gasped, fisting one hand in Louis’ hair and the other in the sheets.

            Louis sucked Harry down, bobbing his head a few times before he pulled off and leaned up to kiss Harry.

            Harry welcomed him hungrily, grabbing at his shirt and pulling it off. “Harry, baby,” Louis groaned, grinding his clothed cock over Harry’s bare one. “Need this so much, needed you for years, love.”

            “Please,” Harry begged. “Yours. Always been yours.”

            Louis bit Harry’s shoulder, trying to find an outlet for everything he was feeling right now. Completely overwhelmed. Harry tugged at Louis’ boxers, pulling them down as much as he could while pinned down by Louis’ body. Louis kissed Harry again before he pulled away to slip his boxers off.

            Harry grabbed for his cock and tugged him a few times, pulling away to spit in his hand before he wrapped it around Louis’ cock again. Louis groaned and gasped into Harry’s neck while he jerked Louis off, until Louis pulled his hand away and rolled over to his side of the bed and grabbed the lube and a condom from his drawer. “You wanna top, babe?” Louis asked.

            Harry shook his head. “Want you in me. Please, Louis.”

            “Anything, H,” Louis promised, kissing Harry before he knelt between Harry’s legs. He popped the cap on the lube and warmed it up, kissing the inside of Harry’s thighs as he opened him up. He took his time, working Harry open with one finger, then two, then three.

            “Ready,” Harry groaned, sweat shining on his body as Louis pulled his fingers out. Harry took the condom and ripped it open, rolling it down Louis’ hard cock, before Louis spread lube over himself.

            “So beautiful, love,” Louis mumbled, kissing Harry’s stomach before he started sliding in. “Fuck,” Louis groaned, head dropping on Harry’s shoulder.

            “Louis,” Harry gasped, nails digging into Louis back as Louis pushed in until he was balls deep and biting Harry’s shoulder. “Move, please Lou, oh shit,” Harry begged.

            Louis pulled out and pushed back in slowly, rocking his hips deep with every thrust, thoroughly fucking Harry in long, deep thrusts. “Harry, never thought I’d get to have this again, fuck,” Louis whispered.

            “Me neither,” Harry gasped, rocking his hips to meet Louis’ thrusts.

            “Baby,” Louis mumbled. “My baby.”

            Harry whined and met Louis’ lips. Louis kissed him, licking into his mouth at the same pace he was fucking into him, grabbing Harry’s hands and pinning them up, holding them at his wrists. Harry whined and took everything Louis gave him, legs wrapping around Louis’ waist. “Yours,” Harry said again.

            “Mine,” Louis said, punctuation his words with a particularly hard thrust.

            “Louis, please, more,” Harry begged.

            Louis picked up his pace, thrusting into Harry harder, biting his way across Harry’s chest and neck, marking him in every way possible. “Feel so good, darling. You always did,” Louis panted.

            “Lou, need more, please, so close,” Harry gasped.

            Louis reached down and grabbed Harry’s hard cock, jerking him off in time with his thrusts. “Gonna come for me, love?” Louis asked.

            Harry groaned and nodded, breathing heavier. “Lou,” He gasped. Louis thumbed at the slit of Harry’s cock jerking him off quickly, palm swiping over Harry’s cockhead. “Fuck,” Harry cried out as Louis his it prostate again and Harry came on his stomach, Louis jerking him through it, white strands painting his stomach.

            “Baby, so beautiful, H,” Louis panted.

            Harry cried out at that, squeezing impossible tighter around Louis. “Come, Lou. Come on,” Harry said.

            “So close, H,” Louis breathed, fucking into Harry again, before pulling out and quickly ripping the condom off, Harry’s hand wrapping around him quickly as he came on Harry’s softening dick and on Harry’s stomach. “Harry, fucking hell,” Louis gasped, whiting out at the force of his orgasm, before he collapsed next to Harry.

            They laid there for a minute, both breathing heavily, until Harry rolls on his side to face Louis. “I love you,” He whispered.

            Louis surged forward and kissed Harry hard on the mouth. “I love you too, fuck baby, haven’t stopped loving you for sixteen years.”

            “At least our song finally fits now,” Harry laughed.

            “Harry. I’ve listened to that song so many fucking times, you have no idea. But yeah, babe. God blessed the broken road, that lead me straight to you.”

Louis is thirty-two when he gets the love of his life back.

 

Louis is thirty-three and Harry is thirty-one when they finally marry each other.


End file.
